Professional and socially engaged - two terms that best describe our team. We are a diverse team with experience in business, banking, consulting, and working in the non-profit sector. Our joint experience allows us to be a social enterprise that puts impact first while still pursuing a sustainable and profitable business model. Please allow us to introduce ourselves!
Management Team
Our Management Team consists of three executives who are responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the company. Their experience spans Finance, Product Development, and Marketing.
Arno Hoogenhuizen
Chief Executive OfficerFrom building something new to making good things even better, Arno is a true innovator. He enjoys taking on various challenges such as developing strategies and shaping teams. As our CEO, Arno continues to enhance our investments product and make it better and better.
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Daniël van Maanen
Chief Financial OfficerMaking sure Lendahand’s numbers add up is Daniel. His background ranges from Portfolio Manager at APG Asset Management to CFO of Aircrete Europe, an international technology company in the construction sector. He joined our team in December of 2019 as CFO with the desire to make social impact a central focus of his career.
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Lily Zhou
Head of MarketingMeet Lily, the most motivated Head of Marketing in the Netherlands. At Lendahand, she uses her years of experience in media and marketing at Mindshare and Unilever for a cause closer to her heart. Besides all that, she’s the team’s go-to person for restaurant recommendations in Rotterdam.
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Team
Matteo Gilardi
Investment ManagerMeet Matteo, our warmhearted Investment Manager from Italy. From his beginnings as an Investment Intern, Matteo has quickly risen through the ranks of our investment team with his expertise and determination. When he’s not busy crafting impact investment strategies, you can find surfer Matteo conquering waves around the world.
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Lera Ilginisova
Investments Operations OfficerMeet Lera, an avid traveller who enjoys exploring new countries, meeting people, and creating precious memories. Her life travel itinerary starts in St. Petersburg, Russia, from where she moved to the United States for almost a decade. After spending 2 years in Nairobi, Kenya, you can now find her playing fetch with her dog Cena in Dutch parks. Lera streamlines the Investment team processes by bringing experience in operations, project management, and data analytics to the table.
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Jan Metten Van der Meer
Senior Software EngineerJan Metten brings many years of experience in software development to Lendahand, 8 of which he worked in the USA. He enjoys nature; especially watching and photographing birds. You can find him doing this while hiking or kayaking.
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Diosa Taylor
Software EngineerDiosa has seen quite a bit of our planet. She was raised in Dubai, spent 1.5 years teaching in China, and then backpacked South America before settling in Amsterdam. By day, she is a software developer at Lendahand with a knack for art and maths. Outside of coding, she’s a rock climbing enthusiast, tackling both outdoor and indoor walls. Living in the flat Netherlands won’t stop her from reaching new heights, one climb at a time!
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Lynn Hamerlinck
Content Marketing SpecialistMeet Lynn, our joyful Content Marketing Specialist. Hailing from Belgium, she uses her journalism skills and language knowledge to create content that inspires and informs our investors about Lendahand. In case you can’t reach her, she’s probably on the water somewhere.
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Jorge Vilar
Operations & Knowledge ManagementAs part of our Catalyst and Knowledge Team, Jorge is responsible for problem-solving in daily activities. He has a heart for solar energy projects and is originally from Portugal. Our only certified Apple Genius, Jorge also used to do comic strips and even short animation videos before working at Lendahand.
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Willianne van der Weijde
Legal and Compliance OfficerWillianne is as native and local to Rotterdam as can be. As a part of our Legal Team, she works towards her goal to create equal opportunities and inclusion in the impact sector. Before joining Lendahand, Willianne worked at People’s Pension - a micro pension company in Ghana - and SNAP Solutions, where she introduced a savings product to coffee farmers in Rwanda. She loves structure and having everything under control, all of which is possible provided there is coffee.
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Manan Modi
Investment ManagerAs a kid, Manan was dedicated to becoming a professional tennis player. That was until he discovered that being an Investment Manager at Lendahand also was an option. So, after spending some time in Georgia (the country), the Indian Manan came to the Netherlands to delight the team with his good humor.
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